Friday, June 22, 2012

Malacañang has shrugged off the accusation of an opposition legislator
that the radical surge in the proposed 2013 budget for the government’s
conditional cash transfer program (CCT) was suspicious and vulnerable to
become an electoral fund of the administration.

Reacting to mediamen
seeking a Palace statement on House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez’s
allegation, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the
proposed P45-billion budget for the CCT program next year had nothing to
do with the 2013 mid-term elections.

In a text message, Valte
likewise warded off Suarez’s fear of the possibility of the
administration tapping the CCT funds to buy votes in next year’s
political exercise.

Based on a genuine commitment to extend help
directly to those who need it most, Valte said, the expanded Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was expected to benefit 3.8 million
poor families next year, up from the 3.1-million target
beneficiary-families this year..... MORE